“I go by the name of…you already know.”
CL is back. Well. Almost.
After half a month of teasing nonstop lyrics, photos and videos in usual K-pop campaign fashion, the 29-year-old Baddest Female™ and 2NE1 leader returned on Monday (September 14) with what is essentially a reintroduction, called “Post Up,” just ahead of a promised October return.
And it’s…still not quite the comeback. Yet.
“Bet you ain’t never seen a baddest Asian like me / I go by the name of…you already know,” she cockily brags off the top of the Baauer-produced beat (a 2NE1-referencing lyric she teased along the way), cooly and confidently rapping through her accomplishments with the confidence of a Queen who has long deserved her share of the solo spotlight.
“Post up in my big esteems / Bigger dreams, whole lot of bigger things,” she declares, showing off a a series of high fashion serves and powerful dance moves throughout the accompanying video clip.
“Baddest female Asian, that is the status / Heavy bass and basement throughout the attic / 2NE1 my past, my forever blessing / Now 2020 was next, I’ll be just salivating.”
The less-than-2 minute track is not long or substantial enough to be considered a comeback single, nor was that ever the intention: CL outlined what to expect on social media a few days prior. (Translation via Allkpop.)
“Hello GZBz and everyone who has been supporting and waiting for me. It’s been a while since I showed my face, so personally this is a very nervous and thankful moment that I’ve prepared. There are so many things I’d like to say, and I thought a lot about how to communicate with you all. But, as always, I thought that it would be best to express myself honestly with a dance and a song! +POST UP+ is a short video that I am releasing before the drop of my album, for my loyal and patient fans GZBs! I wanted to communicate with you all as soon as possible, so this is all I have for now. But this is a special gift that I’ve prepared! I hope that my heart can convey its message. With the beginning of October, I hope to release more singles and a full-length album, so let’s enjoy POST UP wholeheartedly and devour it, get ready! I am really excited that I will be making more memories with my GZB. Stay healthy! Thank you, always.”
Having start-stopped her way through a solo moment over the years in both South Korea and America – from “The Baddest Female,” to “Doctor Pepper,” to “Hello Bitches,” to “Lifted,” to In the Name of Love – it seems as though, God willing, a fully realized CL solo era is finally upon us.
Take “Post Up” as the album intro that it most surely is, and prepare for the return in October. It’s more than about time.
Photo credit: @ChaelinCL
